May/June 2012

In this issue, veteran science reporter Sharon Begley challenges another class of pharmaceuticals that has risen almost to the status of panacea, statin drugs (“The Cholesterol Conundrum”). Just about anyone with total cholesterol readings of 200 or higher will be offered statins by their primary care physician. Twenty-five percent of Americans 45 and older are on statins according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Doctors believe in these pills, and we take them because there’s reliable research showing that statins save lives. But not all lives.

To learn about the other stories in this issue, watch this video from Editorial Director Steven Slon.

Features

Statin drugs benefit some people immensely but are taken by millions more. If you’re at low risk for heart disease, taking drugs to lower your cholesterol may be doing you no good. Is it time we took a second look at statins?
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